College News

Catawba College Singers and Chamber Singers Present Fall Concert

The Catawba College Singers and the Chamber Singers will present their Fall Concert at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 7 in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. The Singers, under the direction of Dr. Jim Shepherd, Catawba's director of choral music and assistant professor of music, will offer a variety of choral music during the program, including American Folk, Gospel, Classical, Traditional, Contemporary, and Multi-cultural selections. ;

Shepherd notes that Gary Walth's upbeat "Two Japanese Proverbs" will mesmerize the audience with its complex rhythms and motives, while "Ballade to the Moon" by Dan Elder will explore lush and subtle harmonies. The Linda Spevacek arrangement of the classic African-American Spiritual "Deep River" will move the audience with its uplifting text and palpable emotion.

With Randy Newman's pop hit, "Short People," Shepherd says the audience and the 35-member Singers will have a bit of fun with the tune's ten-part harmony and a few funny moments. Other selections include the timeless Renaissance standards, "O Magnum Mysterium" by Victoria and "Weep O Mine Eyes" by John Bent, the mischievous "Deamon Irrepit Callidus" by Orban, and the gospel classic, "Praise His Holy Name. " Pianist Jacob Hahn will accompany the Singers during the concert that is free and open to the public.

"Our choir is sounding fantastic, and I hope the Catawba College and Rowan-Salisbury communities will join us for a wonderful program of music," Shepherd adds.

Shepherd joined Catawba in August at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year. He comes to Catawba from Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, where he served during the 2011-2012 academic year as assistant professor and director of choral and vocal music. He also served from 2006 until 2011 as associate professor and director of choral and vocal music at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas.

He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky. He holds his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.

He is active in professional organizations including American Choral Directors Association, College Music Society, Music Educators National Conference (NafME), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, West Virginia Choral Directors Association, and the National Collegiate Choral Organization, of which he is an inaugural member.

The Catawba Singers and Chamber Singers' next concert will be Catawba's 25th annual Service of Lessons and Carols slated for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 29 in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel.